Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-08

savagery was conspicuous by its absence.
The illustrated journals took the cue, and
the wife of Ouray became libled through
out the breadth of the land by the pencils
of special artists" She was the rage
for the season she was in Washington,
and the epistolary correspondence from
attaches of the English legation to the
court journals at London referred to her
as mountain princess" and bespoke
for her hearty reception from the peer
age of England should she visit that
country, which she at that time actually
contem plated.
As souvenirs of her visit to Washing
ton, Chipeta carried away with her guam
titles of silver plate, portion of which
was presented to her by the government
through the interior department..
Shortly after his visit to Washington,
and the consumation of the treaty Ouray
died. He was sincerity mourned. by his
people and as an indication of their
grief and in conformity with long estab-
l1shed custom, the horses of the dead
man were led up to the grave and one by
one shot. All that was valuable in earth
ly ex1stance was to accompany him to
the happy hunting ground of his race
baby have accompany her liege lord had
she lived couple of centuries ago. As
it was, the custom of her tribe by the
greatness of her exalted position con-
dsmned her to a life of perpetual widow
hood. Any deviation from this unwrit-
ten law would dIaw down upon her head
the malidictiOns of the entire nation, and
she would become an outcast, a pariah
among her people.
But Chipeta had will of her own.
She had tasted of the privileges which
her Caucasian sister enjoyed, and when
the opportunity occurred to marry Too
muchl-gut, handsom buck, she did so,
not stopping to consider the great fall
thereby In the social scale. AS migba
have been expected, the head nen of the
nation, with unanimity and decision,
condemned both she and her husband to
ostracism. They had both violated
sacred law of social government, and
they must suffer. With her new alliance
she turned her back upon civilized life
II every form. Her stock was taken
from her and reverse followed reverse till
she was absolutely forced beyond the line
OF tribal kinship, and she with her hus-
band became wanderer. Her silks and
sat1ns were discarded, and even her plate
was melted down to make gew gews for
her husbands friends.
This doubtless was hurried by the un
fortunate mistake which she had made in
locating a ranch on the new reservation.
1t was an excellent site. There was
plenty of water, and Buffalo, mesquit and
gramma grasses gave nOurishment to the
stock. When the lines were made divid-
Ing Utah from Colorado it was found
that Ch1peta's ranch was on the wrong
side OF the line, and not in the reserva-
ton. 1t became therefore legitimate
plumber for the settlers. who lost no
time in dividing the spot
Like the renegade Other tribe, Chipeta
IN her wanderings tended to the White
river country. There at least she would
be welcomed and some respect paid to
her fallen greatness. She and her hus-
band joined Colorow, and are now with
him environed by the military forces
which the government dispatched for
the protection of the settlers of Garfield
county.
Topographic advices say that some ap-
prehension is felt for Chipetas safety.
She was in one of the tents which was
fired by Sheriff Kendal's party on their
first visit to the Indian camp, and she
has not been seen since. It is not at all
likely that she has been harmed; she has
been compelled to practically take to
the bushes.
What must be her thoughts? When the
wife of ''the white mans FRIEND" she
aided him in his endeavors to prevent
depredations on the whites by the frey
young bucks whom tradition had taught
to hate white men. Now she is hunted
ike wolf by the palefaces whom she
once rekoned as friends.
Chipeta is growing old. She must be
In the neighborhood of fifty. Colorow
was once her enemy as he was once tne
enemy of the peace loving Ouray; but
when her white friends turned MI her
she sought straights in life where she
could find friends. It is not now believ-
ed that she entsrtains "a war-like spirit
towards the whites, bnt being with Colo
row she is in bad company.
Onco the queen of the nation, she is
now leading the life of a common squaw.